Tchernavia Montgomery is known for her compassionate work to help the city’s most vulnerable residents. Next month, she’ll step into a new role as executive director of Care Ring, a nonprofit dedicated to providing health services for those who are uninsured and underinsured.
After an extensive search, Care Ring’s board of directors unanimously selected Montgomery to succeed former executive director Don Jonas, who announced his resignation last October. She begins on March 22.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our community, especially during such a critical time in our history,” she said in a statement Wednesday. “Care Ring has a deep commitment to socio-economically stressed families that so closely mirrors my own.”
Montgomery, a licensed clinical social worker, brings 17 years of health and human services experience to the nonprofit. Since 2018, she has served as chief program officer at Crisis Assistance Ministry where she led teams that annually supported more than 50,000 local families experiencing poverty and homelessness.
“Her background in clinical social work and addressing the challenges people in poverty face will position Care Ring as a leading advocate for a better system of care,” said Mark Markiewicz, Care Ring’s board chair.
For her commitment and service, Montgomery was this year’s recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Growing the Dream Award presented by the City of Charlotte and Atrium Health.
She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from UNC Charlotte, where she also serves as an adjunct faculty member and chairs the School of Social Work’s community advisory board.
